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Ucharpli
Ucharpli is the homeworld of the Vaikan. It is located in the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way in the Soul Nebula approximately 7,000 lightyears from Sol. Ucharpli formed about 5.2 billion years ago. While the planet used to be covered in many sprawling cities, a nuclear war occurring thousands of years before the formation of the Karalian Empire put the planet's ecosystem on the brink of extinction. Since then, Ucharpli has recovered, and today, large expanses of wilderness cover the surface while the majority of cities are underground or within cliff sides. In less than one billion years, Szon is expected to turn into a red giant which would destroy all life on the planet. However, Ucharpli's current age has allowed for some highly adaptable, advanced life forms. Orbit Ucharpli has two close orbiting bodies: Revlis'maan and Der'maan. Der'maan is a world roughly 4,000 kilometers, and it is covered in ice, although it is geologically active. Cryovolcanism is common resulting in geysers that create a faint ring system that can be seen on clear nights from the surface of Ucharpli. Many astronomers initially assumed Der'maan was a moon, but later measurements have revealed it to have an orbit akin to a binary planet. However, because Der'maan is far less massive, the center of mass in the orbits lies far closer to Ucharpli. Revlis'maan is a smaller moon which orbits Ucharpli at a much closer distance. It has an unusually large presence of iron oxide, making it appear red. How this iron oxide came to be on the moon is still a mystery, but some believe that it was an ancient terraforming attempt by the Drallan Empire. Little evidence supports this however as texts predating Drallan space travel refer to it as the "Dim Eye of the Devil" with 'dim' referring to what the Vaikan perceive as red. Geography and Atmosphere Ucharpli's high concentration of nitrogen will give the sky a purple tint during midday. During the afternoon and mornings, it will appear blue like most skies on a garden planet. During sunset, the sky will change to red and orange. Ucharpli's lower levels of oxygen along with its energetic Class F star make its ozone layer dangerously weak. As a result, during the day, Ucharpli is blasted with Szon's intense UV rays which are lethal to all but the most adept of life. Ucharpli has entered an ice age, and thus, much of its surface is covered in glaciers, with the equator and tropical regions being extremely dry and arid. It is incredibly difficult for carbon dioxide to get cycled throughout the planet as volcanic activity is confined almost exclusively to a single location. The planet is only 54% water, so many inland areas hardly get any rain or snow. Wherever the sun sets or rises on Ucharpli, wind storms appear as a result of temperature differences, which can exceed speeds of 60 mph. In deserts, dust storms occur, and in flat plains, tornadoes can appear almost every day. These windstorms are referred to as "dry storms" as rain is rarely ever paired with it. Lightning is also rare as a result, which combined with low oxygen levels, makes wildfires highly uncommon. Because these dry storms come at regular, predictable intervals, both tree analogues and Vaikan structures were built to adapt to these storms. The more frequent tides have also eroded the edges of Ucharpli's continents to consist of steep cliffsides and mountains at the coasts. Islands have also been affected as well, with most of them consisting of lone mesas, jutting out of the ocean. These mountainous coastlines have created rain shadows resulting in grasslands and deserts in the inner areas. Native Life There are trillions of different species across this varied planet. Creatures with the appropriate radiation protection dominate the day, while mammals dominate the night. Many animals are also a hybrid between reptiles and mammals, or repto-mammals. The ecosystem varies from continent to continent. Most life in the temperate and equatorial areas are reptiles, while the poles consist of mammals. The oceans on the other hand are filled with invertebrates which inhabit the deep sea. Several million years ago, a meteor collided with Ucharpli causing a storm that blocked the sun with debris and only the hardiest of creatures lived. However, this was only one of numerous mass extinctions in Ucharpli's history. Life on Ucharpli is a constant struggle for survival. Most of Ucharpli's megafauna has gone extinct due to lack of resources although some larger creatures survive on the Kyartula continent. Genetic engineering has revived some of these long lost species, and they are kept in zoos. Modern Ucharpli Since the nuclear war, Vaikan settlements have become small and isolated since the species has preferred to construct larger cities either on other planets or in the form of large space stations connected to the surface via space elevators. Although hardly anyone travels outside the city limits, the few population centers that remain are bustling areas of vibrant activity. Ten Legacy Districts The entirety of Ucharpli is divided into ten districts which were established during the Karalian Empire's and the Confederacy of Greenwater's attempts to recolonize the planet. These districts are based more on cultural significance rather than economic values as the boundaries are drawn around old ruins predating the Drallan Empire and the rumored sites of ancient legends. Yallvus Located in the middle of a vast desert, Yallvus is the oldest, largest city on the planet, situated at the base of Dath Hill. An ancient, pyramid-shaped building known as Kazel-Hal is one of the oldest structures still standing. Kazel-Hal is considered by Vaikan the holiest location in the universe as it is believed to be the birthplace of their civilization. Malin Malin is located on the planet's southern pole and is known for a frozen, ruined temple. It is also the origin location of the legend of Shunketsu who drove away a group of raiding barbarians. Khather Khather is a region adjacent to Malin said to be the origin location of the legend of Burwof, a Vaikan who is said to have saved a village from an incarnation of Morduin. Historians believe it to be an encounter with an extinct, gigantic species of Yoltox that was far larger than anything that lives today. Islerfia The Islerfia region is a location home to the Seven Labyrinths, where a hero slayed a powerful alchemist known as Merukor. Spason Spason is home to an underground, steam-powered city which served as a sanctuary during Ucharpli's ancient nuclear war. Feurcy The Feurcy is famous for the ancient Thardunin School of Maj. Ancient Vaikan of this region believed their bioelectricity to be magic, and from the academy sprung a rich philosophy which lay the foundation for much of modern Jamzezism. Codgele Codgele is famous for numerous stone carvings such as the Heroes' Faces which depict the early leaders of the Drallan Empire. Joper In the ocean regions of Joper are underwater structures which according to legend were built by a race of crustacean people. Paria Paria is famous for the ancient, stone temples built by a long extinct civilization that was ahead of its time. Lacad Lacad is drawn around a low lying marsh said to have flooded during an era predating the Drallan Empire. With the help of his family, a man named Nolara built a ship that saved numerous animals from extinction, and the ship landed on Mt. Tarara. Category:Planets